LOS ANGELES -- Yasiel Puig arrived at Dodger Stadium last weekend with something unmistakable etched into the hair on the left side of his head.

A snazzy, large star.

"Are you ready?" a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers' public relations staff asked Puig.

Puig, the team's 23-year-old star Cuban outfielder, gave a quizzical look. Then he grinned. Clearly, as much as the PR woman understood why Puig is sporting a fresh haircut with the star, Puig understood the question.

Is he ready for the All-Star Game in Minneapolis - and his biggest stage yet?

Today, Puig is scheduled to compete in the Home Run Derby. Tuesday, he will start in the outfield for the National League. Both days, he will be the subject of much attention, a fact one of his agents made sure to pass along.

"I told him, 'Hey, there's going to be a lot of eyes on you at the All-Star Game,'" said Andy Mota of Wasserman Media Group, which represents Puig. "Everything you do, everything you say…''

There is little concern about what Puig will do on the field, where he performs as if designed by DreamWorks: Displays of acrobatics and raw power, all accentuated by bat-flipping, finger-kissing celebrations.

His Instagram and Twitter accounts transmit images almost as arresting, extending a personal brand best described as unadulterated fun.

Look, there's Puig in the snow! And at the zoo...on the New York subway...mugging with celebrities as diverse as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Snoop Dogg...hugging the Stanley Cup.

And then, there's Puig signing autographs, buying baseball equipment for children and cradling puppies. All of which contrasts sharply with the Puig who occasionally rankles teammates, mystifies the Dodgers and keeps a wary arm's length from the news media.

As a pre-arranged interview was to commence before a game last week, Puig closed his eyes, as if nodding off. "He's tired," a PR staffer said sheepishly - and no one knew what to expect next despite signs of change.

There is a new regard for the cutoff man and a more disciplined approach to hitting.

"His patience at the plate has really been shocking, a quick adjustment,'' Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "The other part is just paying attention, slowing down a little bit and playing under control.''

There is a new willingness to listen to teammates.

"The things we share with him are situations after they happen, kind of be able to reflect on them,'' Dodgers first basemen Adrian Gonzalez said. "Explain to him why he did this good or why he shouldn't have done this.''

There is a new understanding of publicity, said Yvonne Carrasco of the Dodgers' PR staff, and she cites a recent request from Nickelodeon. The cable network asked if Puig would participate in a segment to introduce its Kids' Choice Sports Awards. If the request came last year, Carrasco said, no chance. This year…

With the Nickelodeon crew ready to film, Puig broke from the script. He picked up 11-year-old Breanna Yde, who stars on one of the cable network's shows, and used her as a weight while performing arm curls. He did push-ups with her on his back. He followed along when she taught him her version of a home-run celebration dance.

"You could tell he's a big kid at heart with a great sense of humor, and it's no wonder he has a huge appeal with kids,'' Jay Schmalholz, an executive producer for Nickelodeon, said via e-mail.

So even as Puig pretended to nod off last weekend, he quickly did something he's doing with greater regularity.

Open his eyes. To his day-to-day responsibilities, to those who can help him, and to those he can help. Stirring to the moment, Puig addressed several topics with USA TODAY Sports with help from an interpreter while speaking in Spanish.

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For the Win's Ted Berg gives 5 suggestions on how to make the Home Run Derby more enjoyable to watch.
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OPEN TO ADVICE

Puig's offseason was marked by a 26-pound weight gain and a reckless driving arrest after police clocked him driving 110 mph in Florida.

With questions about Puig's commitment and focus mounting, Mattingly called a team meeting.

Andy Mota said what transpired illustrated Puig's growth. Puig told his teammates that he welcomed their advice and guidance, according to Mota.

"Andy talks too much," Puig said several times with a slight grin. "That meeting with my teammates, I did that because they have more years than I do in the big leagues, playing ball here. And I wanted them to tell me what they thought of my first year here, speak on all types of things I can learn better for this season."

He can be a loud and boisterous presence in the clubhouse, sometimes interacting with third baseman Juan Uribe like the playful but pestering little brother. Puig said he listens intently to hitting coach Mark McGwire, assistant hitting coach John Valentin and Manny Mota, Andy's father and the former Dodger outfielder who has mentored many of the club's Latino players.

"He has helped me a lot; he tells me to trust myself," Puig says of the Dominican-born Mota.

"I listen to my coaches and also to others, who are older with even more experience. And I just listen, do what they tell me to do, learn. Pay attention so things can turn out how I want them to.''

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SOFT SPOT FOR KIDS

A few days after the 2013 season ended, Puig, his cousin and a friend visiting from Cuba drove to a spot next to Dodger Stadium that affords a panoramic view of the city. The friend wanted to take photographs. But suddenly they saw something else: a baseball field full of Little Leaguers.

Puig's cousin suggested they visit with the kids, and before long Puig was throwing batting practice, offering pointers and brainstorming about what came next: his hosting those Little Leaguers, all 200 of them, during an event at Dodger Stadium.

Footage of the visit soon went viral. Yet Puig, who seven months ago became a father for the first time — his son, Diego, and the boy's mother live in Arizona — said visiting a kids' practice would be far less remarkable in Cuba.

"Over there, it's different,'' he said. "Over there we play with kids every day. They were fans of us, but not like here, where it's not really possible to see guys like Albert Pujols just anywhere, or to see me, Yasiel Puig.

"Kids here don't really have access every day to big leaguers. In Cuba you see ballplayers, just walking around and then we just play with kids. Here the kids go crazy. 'Sign for me Puig! Sign!' "

During an offseason fundraising event, Puig asked that money raised be used to buy a equipment for a Little League in East Los Angeles, where children in need of resources reminded him of his own upbringing.

"Yes, that's the reason why I try to help the kids here in the United States, because I had a need for things in order to play,'' Puig said. "Although here you get can access to things faster than you can in Cuba...I try to help, so they can get things faster than I did, develop as players faster than I did, reach the major leagues even faster than I did.

"...I want to help these kids get what they need because we are able to do that for them now. For us we had what we had, and no one could really help us out."

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GALLERY: PUIG-MANIA

Puig looks to the sky after a single against the Braves in July 2014. (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)

Yasiel Puig (66) singles in the 6th inning against the San Diego Padres to score teammate Dee Gordon (not pictured) to break a scoreless game at Dodger Stadium. (Photo: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports)

Los Angeles Dodgers all-star game selections Clayton Kershaw (left) and Zack Greinke (second from left) and Dee Gordon (second from right) and Yasiel Puig pose with National League jerseys before the game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

With Yasiel Puig's 34 multi-hit games, the only batters to record more multi-hit games in their first 75 were Joe DiMaggio (38 in 1936) and Ichiro Suzuki (38 in 2001), since 1916. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)

Yasiel Puig is benched Aug. 28 after his second plate appearance by manager Don Mattingly during their game against the Cubs. Says Puig after the game: "I wasn't preparing properly in outfield and [it] was good decision [to] take me out." (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)

After being benched, Yasiel Puig is called upon to pinch-hit in the eighth inning and snapped a slump and silenced speculation he's in the doghouse. The rookie sensation hits a tiebreaking home run to help the Dodgers beat the Marlins 6-4 on Aug. 20. (Photo: Lynne Sladky. AP)

In the Dodgers heated series with the Diamondbacks, Yasiel Puig collides with catcher Miguel Montero as he attempts to score a run on July 9. Montero gives Puig the finger wag after the collision. (Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images)

Members of the Dodgers, including a trainer and manager Don Mattingly (center), checks on right fielder Yasiel Puig who is injured fielding a fly ball during the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies on July 3. (Photo: Chris Humphreys, USA TODAY Sports)

Yasiel Puig ends his sensational first month in the major leagues with his first four-hit game. He also finishes June with 44 hits, surpassing the 42 by Pittsburgh's Bob Elliott in September 1939 for the second-most in a player's first full calendar month in the major leagues. Joe DiMaggio had 48 in May 1936. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)

In his first week in the majors, Yasiel Puig is named NL player of the week. His week: .464 batting average, 4 home runs, 10 RBI, 27 total bases and two outfield assists. (Photo: Gary A. Vasquez. USA TODAY Sports)

... In his next at-bat, Puig hits a two-run homer in the sixth innnig. Puig becomes just the second player in major league history to post a two-homer, five-RBI game within his first two games in the big leagues. The only other player to do that was Dino Restelli with the 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates. (Photo: Jason Redmond, AP)

With one out and the potential tying run on first base in the ninth, Padres' Kyle Blanks flies out to right field. Yasie Puig makes the catch and throws a laser to first to double-up Chris Denorfia to end the game and preserve a 2-1 win on June 3. (Photo: Harry How, Getty Images)

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Last year, despite an electrifying, record-setting major league debut, Puig lost out to Freddie Freeman in a fan vote for the final NL All-Star spot. About a week and a half ago, when Puig checked the voting totals and found himself in third place among the outfielders, he and the Dodgers got busy.

He taped a segment for Jimmy Kimmel, taped two interviews for ESPN and the Dodgers went into promotional overdrive .

When the All-Star voting ended, Puig discovered he was the top vote getter among outfielders. He was selected by NL captain Troy Tulowitzki for the Home Run Derby.

"What do I expect?" Puig said. "I don't know, I'm just happy that the fans voted me and (grateful) to all the media that helped to remind people to vote. It's my first All-Star Game, and I'm going to do the best I can in the All-Star Game and in the Home Run Derby now that I was chosen by Tulowitzki, who I'm very grateful to for picking me. And I'm going to try to do my best I can to make him look good, to hit with a lot of strength.''

Puig's family defected after he did; his parents and younger sister live in Miami and his mother visits Los Angeles frequently.

His social media interactions suggest a 23-year-old assimilating, yet also amazed by the USA.

Carrasco, of the Dodgers PR team, helps Puig post photos and translate his thoughts from Spanish. But the broken English suggest it's really Puig actively updating his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

"I'm always doing new things, discovering new places, so I put those photos up because fans can't be with me everywhere I go,'' he said. "And I'm happy when I do these things…so I like to share that. I do it so kids can see what I'm like, what I'm up to when I'm not playing baseball. And also so they see photos of me playing or getting ready for a game so maybe I inspire them to keep practicing (baseball)."

He has mingled with the rapper Pitbull, comedian George Lopez and Kobe Bryant. But Puig said his celebrity has value beyond who he can attract and what he can get.

Last year, Pau Gasol of the Los Angeles Lakers took Puig to Children's Hospital. Puig went back two times on his own.

"I take the time to visit kids in hospitals because we as ballplayers should do things like that so we show we care for them. I do it so they don't feel alone. They can't come here, they're in the hospital, so I like to go there.''

Puig has grown more accommodating, if not enthusiastic, with the news media after much of his first year as a major leaguer was marked by one-word answers, vacant stares or interviews cut abruptly short.

"This year with the help of my teammates, other athletes in other sports, they have told me I need to spend time with media, to respect them,'' he said, agreeing when Carrasco said the media helped drive his All-Star voting totals. "Yes, they help me a lot. They bother me a lot, but they do help me a lot.''

Puig's popularity is undeniable - sales of his jersey rank ninth among major leaguers, according to MLB. But while the bat flips, chest pounding and other acts of exuberance enhance his popularity, it elicits criticism from some media, fans and occasionally peers .

This week, Puig will spend two days among the game's greatest players, and have a national stage for consecutive evenings. Perhaps that chasm will narrow.

"If they don't understand me, there's not much I can do," Puig said. "I always try to show the best of me, and I don't try to disrespect my teammates or opposing teams in any way.

"Well, I just have fun playing ball. I go out there and have fun. And other things I've done, well, I'm just me."